Legal Question in Family Law in Missouri

If you have a parenting plan, you have to first look to see what it says. There can be a particular age or particular event that triggers the termination of child support that is listed in your current order for support. If the parenting plan is silent as to when child support is terminated, you have to look to see when the support order was made and look at the applicable law. Support orders made under the current law where the parenting plan is silent as to when child support terminates will be governed by Missouri Statute 452.340. Generally, child support will terminate when the child reaches the age of 18, or until age 21 if the child remains enrolled in and attending a secondary school program of instruction (like college) and fulfills some requirements along with that. There are many other events that could also terminate child support earlier, such as the marriage of the child, the entry into active duty in the military, etc., so a review of the parenting plan, the statute, and your particular situation is necessary to determine what is appropriate in your case. If you are still paying child support and it should have terminated you may have to file something with the court to get an order for termination.

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